CEN and CENELEC aim to ensure that their standards address all the possible hazards that products may pose to their youngest users. Standardization plays a significant role in improving the safety of products that are intended for use by or with children, and in the care of children.
CEN and CENELEC have a number of Technical Committees that deal specifically with the safety of children in relation to potential risks associated with certain consumer products such as: Toys (CEN/TC 52 and CLC/TC 61), Sports, playground and other recreational equipment (CEN/TC 136), Child care articles (CEN/TC 252), High Chairs (CEN/TC 364), Child Protective Products (CEN/TC 398).
A wide range of stakeholders, including manufacturers, consumer representatives and testing bodies are actively involved in standardization activities related to child safety. Public authorities responsible for market surveillance also follow this work.
While developing standards in support of child safety, CEN and CENELEC take into full account of relevant legislations adopted by the European Union, including the Toy Safety Directive (2009/48/EC) and the EU Directive on General Product Safety (2001/95/EC).
Highlights
Pictograms related to childcare articles, some of them developed in the frame of a EU funded project and owned by CHAFEA.
Toy Safety
Toys are used in play by children worldwide. Users are children from birth to 14 years of age.
The Toy Safety Directive 2009/48/EC sets the same minimum requirements to ensure the safety of toys all across the European Single Market. Compliance with Harmonized Standards (referenced in the Official Journal of the European Union - OJ) provides manufacturers with a presumption of conformity to the legal requirements of the Toy Safety Directive. From the concept of ‘safety by design’, to drafting strict requirements to reduce risks to a minimum, Harmonized Standards related to toy safety cover a wide range of elements in the design and production of toys, ensuring their high reliability.
CEN/TC 52 'Safety of toys' whose Secretariat is held by DS, the Danish National Standardization Organization of CEN, is responsible for establishing requirements and test methods, which support the essential requirements of the Toy Safety Directive. Electrical aspects of toys are dealt with separately by
CENELEC/TC 61 ‘Safety of household and similar electrical appliances’.
